Rural, Remote Living in a Time of Adjustment with Marie Lamb – TMP 054

Marie Lamb of the Puttytribe joins us today to continue on a theme we started about a year ago, in Episode 34 of The MultiPod, exploring the realities of rural, remote and often wild living, removed from major population centres and the social contact that most of us experience easily and regularly.

This episode comes to us in the midst, or perhaps beginning, of the coronavirus pandemic sweeping the world. The vast majority of the world’s population is now faced with self-isolation and restricted in-person social contact for weeks perhaps, a situation both unfamiliar and uncertain.

And yet there are many folks, including quite a few members of the Puttytribe, who purposely choose a lifestyle not too removed from this extreme, a life of less social interaction, and more distant from communities and neighbours.

Host Ted and Marie chat about the attractions of this life, the type of mindset to help you thrive, and the benefits from it, which often include more nature, quiet and privacy. While quarantine and “self-isolation” is not quite the same thing as remote living, we aim to help your perspective on this new reality, getting a glimpse into the day to day praticalities, things like schooling, groceries and power failures, not to mention the extra effort to find community and social interaction, particularly online.

It’s a relaxed and enjoyable conversation to brighten your day and your mood! Comments and feedback encouraged below!

Topics & Timestamps

[1:50] – Setting up this episode: our talk with Alberto (Episode 34), the remote experience and the coronavirus.

[6:32] – Marie’s background, and what took her from Minnesota to rural Tennessee.

[9:08] – Was it a purposeful decision to live where they do now, and in that way?

[9:42] – The impact of rural life on Marie’s daughter.

[10:53] – Is it a big effort to find community and people to socialize with, living where they do?

[13:22] – How Marie’s more rural, “wild” upbringing had an impact on her becoming a multipotentialite, and the similar signs she sees in her daughter.

[16:36] – Ted talks about his experience in rural and remote living, particularly observing his sister, who raised her kids on remote Cortes Island, off the coast of Vancouver Island in British Columbia.

[21:11] – Ted and his family struggle with the choice between living in a community, with neighbours and lots of things in walking and biking distance, versus more in the countryside, where everything is further away but life is a lot quieter, more private, closer to nature and much more space.

[24:35] – Marie talks about her business, helping people plan and remodel their homes. Amongst other jobs too!

[25:59] – “Time in December”, Marie’s first book, published in October, 2019.

[28:59] – Marie explains the concept of Synesthesia, the “overlapping of your senses.” Feeling music or tasting colour, for example.

[33:07] – What does Marie see in the future for her and her family, as development encroaches closer and closer towards their homestead.

[34:10] – Is Marie curious to see how other people around the world live remotely, and perhaps travel there to witness that?

[35:03] – Ted talks about a fascinating podcast on this same theme, called “Extremeties,” where the producers travel to remote destinations around the world and learn what life is like there.